McCain's endorsement supports Munsil in the Sept. 12 Republican primary. Munsil is in a tough primary battle with Don Goldwater, nephew of late former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater.

Earlier this summer, McCain publicly rebuked Goldwater for a border security plan that called for construction of a border wall with Mexico. Goldwater wants to build that wall with arrested illegal immigrants housed in work camps.

Munsil is former head of the Scottsdale-based Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative Christian group. That group is the prime supporter of a state gay marriage ban on the November ballot.

McCain supports the state gay marriage ban, but voted against a federal same-sex amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The endorsement also could help Munsil if he wins the primary over Goldwater and takes on Democratic incumbent Janet Napolitano in November. McCain's support could help the conservative Munsil appeal to independent and moderate voters. Napolitano is popular with the Democratic base and moderates.

The Arizona senator is eyeing a 2008 presidential run and has sought to improve ties with social conservatives and evangelical Christians in Arizona and in key presidential battlegrounds such as South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, New Hampshire and Ohio.

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